made a thorough job of spoiling her. Not that the spoiling had
injured her to any great extent, it had not as yet, but that was
Captain Sam's good luck. Maud was wearing a new dress--she had a
new one every week or so--and she came into the windmill shop to
show it. Of course she would have denied that that was the reason
for her coming, but the statement stands, nevertheless. She and
Jed were great chums and had been since she could walk. She liked
him, took his part when she heard him criticized or made fun of,
and was always prettily confidential and friendly when they were
alone together. Of course there was a touch of superiority and
patronage in her friendship. She should not be blamed for this;
all Orham, consciously or unconsciously, patronized Jed Winslow.

She came into the inner shop and sat down upon the same upturned
box upon which her father had sat the afternoon before. Her first
remark, after "good mornings" had been exchanged, was concerning
the "Private" sign on the inner side of the door.

"What in the world have you put that sign inside here for?" she
demanded.

Mr. Winslow explained, taking his own deliberate time in making the
explanation. Miss Hunniwell wrinkled her dainty upturned nose and
burst into a trill of laughter.

"Oh, that's lovely," she declared, "and just like you, besides.
And do you think Gabe Bearse will go back into the other room when
he sees it?"

Jed looked dreamily over his spectacles at the sign. "I don't